Newspapers Improve Diversity Numbers

Orlando – The third bi-annual edition of the Associated Press Sports Editors Racial and Gender Report Card, covering more than 320 websites and newspapers (up from 281 APSE members a year ago), was released today.

It measures changes from the 2008 data for the industry established in the previous report. The 2010 Report was published by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida and was requested by the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE). This was the third time TIDES was asked by the organization to review the data of its own staff.

For 2010, the APSE Web sites and newspapers improved with a grade of C+ for racial hiring practices, up from a C in 2008. However, they received a second consecutive F for gender hiring practices in the key positions covered. Grades were not issued for the 2006 Report Card.

Richard Lapchick, The Institute’s Director and primary author of this report, noted, “After four years from the 2006 Report to the 2010 report, there was some change in the five key positions we examined for race but little for gender. In fact, the overall grade for racial hiring practices improved from a C to a C+. There continued to be a failing grade for gender in all five categories. I think it is encouraging that APSE and AWSM had a combined event this year. I am also encouraged that APSE has continued to request the report knowing that the news would not be good. I applaud its determination to get better.

“It is important to have voices from different backgrounds in the media. This report shows that in 2010, 97 percent of the sports editors, 85 percent of the assistant sports editors, 86 percent of our columnists, 86 percent of our reporters and 90 percent of our copy editors/designers were white. In the 2008 report, those numbers for the same positions were 94, 89, 88, 87, and 89 respectively. The percentage of males in those positions this year are 94, 90, 90, 89, and 84. In 2008, the percentages were 94, 90, 93, 91 and 84, respectively. The 2008 report showed a terrible lack of opportunity for people of color and women. In spite of that, there was actually a decline in 2010 for opportunities for people of color as sports editors (from 6 percent to 3 percent) and copy editors (from 11 percent to 10 percent). The percentages of people of color increased for assistant sports editors (11 percent to 15 percent), columnists (12 percent to 14 percent) and reporters (13 percent to 14 percent).

“The worst news was perhaps that the percentage of sports editors who were women or people of color fell 2.3 percentage points from 11.7 percent in 2008 to 9.42 percent in 2010. White males in particular increased by 3.0 percentage points for sports editors.

“But there was good news with gains for women and people of color in the categories of assistant sports editors, columnists and reporters. For columnists, the percentage of women or people of color jumped 5.7 percentage points (from 17.5 percent to 23.2 percent). The increase for assistant sports editors was 2.8 percentage points (from 19.3 percent to 22.1 percent), and for reporters, it was 2.4 percentage points (from 20.8 percent to 23.2 percent).

“As with the 2008 APSE Report Card, ESPN’s record formed a substantial part of the totals for sports editors and columnists of color. ESPN has two African-American sports editors and 23 African-American men and women as columnists.

“My primary new recommendation to the APSE is that it adopts a Ralph Wiley Rule, named after the late African-American writer. The Wiley Rule would be like the Rooney Rule in the NFL and would call for a diverse pool of candidates including men and women for each opening of these key positions.”

The report shows the vast majority of people holding key positions on the major newspapers and media Web sites in the United States and Canada are white and male. The following report findings demonstrate that:

97 percent of the sports editors were white.

85 percent of the assistant sports editors were white.

86 percent of the columnists were white.

86 percent of the reporters were white.

90 percent of the copy editors/designers were white.

94 percent of the sports editors were men.

90 percent of the assistant sports editors were men.

90 percent of the columnists were men.

89 percent of the reporters were men.

84 percent of the copy editors/designers were men.

Other highlights from the study include:

The percentages of African-American males increased as assistant sports editors, columnists and reporters while decreasing as sports editors and copy editors.

White male sports editors increased by 3 percentage points.

The percentage of female sport editors increased for whites, while decreasing for African-Americans and remaining non-existent for Latinas.

Latino men increased by percentage in all professional categories covered except sports editors.

Asian men increased in all professional categories except sports editors.

·ESPN’s record formed a substantial part of the totals for sports editors and columnists. ESPN has two African-American sports editors and 23 African-American men and women as columnists. That represented more 20 percent of the sports editors and more than half of the 41 columnists of color at “A” newspapers.

All staff

In 2010, white men and women comprised 87.4 percent of the total staffs of all APSE member newspapers and Web sites, African-Americans held 6.8 percent, Latinos equaled 3.3 percent, Asians totaled 1.9 percent, and “other” people of color held less than one percent.

In 2010, women made up 11.4 percent of total staffs of APSE member newspapers and Web sites, which was greater than in 2008.

Sports editors

The percentages of women and people of color serving as sports editors has decreased slightly since 2008 by 0.2 and 2.7 percentage points, respectively.

In 2010 the gap between white sports editors and sports editors of color widened. Of all APSE sports editors, 97 percent were white while 90.6 percent were white males. African-Americans held only 1.4 percent, Latinos held 1.4 percent, and Asians and “others” were each less than 1 percent.

In 2010, there were no minority women sports editors.

Assistant/Deputy Sports Editors

In contrast there was an improvement in the diversity in the position of assistant sports editors. The percentages of assistant sports editors who are both white and male decreased from the 2008 Report. In 2010, whites held 85.3 percent of the assistant sports editor posts in the survey while people of color made up 14.7 percent. African-Americans equaled 6.8 percent, Latinos held 4.2 percent, Asians comprised 2.6 percent, and other people of color were at 1.05 percent.

Assistant sports editors who are men of color increased to 11.6 percent in 2010 after being 9.3 percent in 2008.

Columnists

In 2010, women and people of color combined to make up 23.2 percent of columnists of the surveyed APSE member newspapers. This was up substantially from 17.5 percent in 2008.

The percentage of white women columnists increased from 5.8 percent to 8.8 percent.

Columnists who are African-American experienced a slight increase from 10.6 percent to 11.3 percent. The percentage of Latino columnists increased from 0.5 percent to 1.4 percent. Male Asian columnists increased slightly from 0.7 to 1.4 percent. Of the surveyed APSE newspapers and Web sites, there were no Asian, Latina, or “other” female columnists.

Reporters

In 2010, there was a significant decrease in reporters within the APSE newspapers and Web sites. This year’s report accounted for 1,371 reporters compared to 2,236 from 2008. The decrease could possibly be attributed to layoffs and consolidated publications due to the economic decline of the past two years. Of these 1,371, 85.6 percent were white. In 2008, 87.0 percent of the 2,236 reporters were white.

Copy editors

In 2010, the number of copy editors/designers was less than half of the total surveyed in 2008. In 2010, 90.1 percent were white, which was up from 88.7 percent in 2008.

APSE Leadership

Sandy Bailey (1992-93) and Tracy Dodds (1999-00) have been the only female APSE presidents in the history of the organization since 1973.

Mike Fannin, a Latino, was the first person of color to be APSE President in 2007-08.

Lynn Hoppes, who is Asian-American, was APSE President in 2008-09

Garry Howard, an African-American, was the third person of color to fill the position of APSE president in 2009-10.

Miscellaneous

The Mid-Atlantic Region of the APSE had the best record for sports editors who were people of color with 8.33 percent. The Northeast region had the most female sports editors at 16.13 percent. The Northeast Region reported the highest percentage of women and people of color combined with 22.6 percent.

The Northwest and Atlantic Coast Region reported the lowest overall percentage of any region with no women and people of color as sports editors.

In circulation size “A” papers, the Seattle Times (WA) had the highest percentage for people of color at 39.4 percent.

Looking at opportunities for women in size “A,” TheOrlando Sentinel (FL) was tops with 20.9 percent.

Of all the “A” circulation size papers, the Miami Herald (FL) totaled the highest percentage of diversity within its sports staff with 57.1 percent.

The Racial and Gender Report Card is issued sport-by-sport. The reports for Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the National Football League, Major League Soccer and College Sport have already been issued for 2010. This will be followed by the complete Racial and Gender Report Card.

The report shows the vast majority of people holding key positions on the major newspapers and media Web sites in the United States and Canada are white and male. The following report findings demonstrate that:

97 percent of the sports editors were white.

85 percent of the assistant sports editors were white.

86 percent of the columnists were white.

86 percent of the reporters were white.

90 percent of the copy editors/designers were white.

94 percent of the sports editors were men.

90 percent of the assistant sports editors were men.

90 percent of the columnists were men.

89 percent of the reporters were men.

84 percent of the copy editors/designers were men.

Other highlights from the study include:

The percentages of African-American males increased as assistant sports editors, columnists and reporters while decreasing as sports editors and copy editors.

White male sports editors increased by 3 percentage points.

The percentage of female sport editors increased for whites, while decreasing for African-Americans and remaining non-existent for Latinas.

Latino men increased by percentage in all professional categories covered except sports editors.

Asian men increased in all professional categories except sports editors.

·ESPN’s record formed a substantial part of the totals for sports editors and columnists. ESPN has two African-American sports editors and 23 African-American men and women as columnists. That represented more 20 percent of the sports editors and more than half of the 41 columnists of color at “A” newspapers.

All staff

In 2010, white men and women comprised 87.4 percent of the total staffs of all APSE member newspapers and Web sites, African-Americans held 6.8 percent, Latinos equaled 3.3 percent, Asians totaled 1.9 percent, and “other” people of color held less than one percent.

In 2010, women made up 11.4 percent of total staffs of APSE member newspapers and Web sites, which was greater than in 2008.

Sports editors

The percentages of women and people of color serving as sports editors has decreased slightly since 2008 by 0.2 and 2.7 percentage points, respectively.

In 2010 the gap between white sports editors and sports editors of color widened. Of all APSE sports editors, 97 percent were white while 90.6 percent were white males. African-Americans held only 1.4 percent, Latinos held 1.4 percent, and Asians and “others” were each less than 1 percent.

In 2010, there were no minority women sports editors.

Assistant/Deputy Sports Editors

In contrast there was an improvement in the diversity in the position of assistant sports editors. The percentages of assistant sports editors who are both white and male decreased from the 2008 Report. In 2010, whites held 85.3 percent of the assistant sports editor posts in the survey while people of color made up 14.7 percent. African-Americans equaled 6.8 percent, Latinos held 4.2 percent, Asians comprised 2.6 percent, and other people of color were at 1.05 percent.

Assistant sports editors who are men of color increased to 11.6 percent in 2010 after being 9.3 percent in 2008.

Columnists

In 2010, women and people of color combined to make up 23.2 percent of columnists of the surveyed APSE member newspapers. This was up substantially from 17.5 percent in 2008.

The percentage of white women columnists increased from 5.8 percent to 8.8 percent.

Columnists who are African-American experienced a slight increase from 10.6 percent to 11.3 percent. The percentage of Latino columnists increased from 0.5 percent to 1.4 percent. Male Asian columnists increased slightly from 0.7 to 1.4 percent. Of the surveyed APSE newspapers and Web sites, there were no Asian, Latina, or “other” female columnists.

Reporters

In 2010, there was a significant decrease in reporters within the APSE newspapers and Web sites. This year’s report accounted for 1,371 reporters compared to 2,236 from 2008. The decrease could possibly be attributed to layoffs and consolidated publications due to the economic decline of the past two years. Of these 1,371, 85.6 percent were white. In 2008, 87.0 percent of the 2,236 reporters were white.

Copy editors

In 2010, the number of copy editors/designers was less than half of the total surveyed in 2008. In 2010, 90.1 percent were white, which was up from 88.7 percent in 2008.

APSE Leadership

Sandy Bailey (1992-93) and Tracy Dodds (1999-00) have been the only female APSE presidents in the history of the organization since 1973.

Mike Fannin, a Latino, was the first person of color to be APSE President in 2007-08.

Lynn Hoppes, who is Asian-American, was APSE President in 2008-09

Garry Howard, an African-American, was the third person of color to fill the position of APSE president in 2009-10.